11Ahaz was twentyyearsold when he becameking, and he reignedsixteen*years in Jerusalem; and 2he did not doright in the sight of the LORD as David his father had done.
2
3But he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel; he also4mademoltenimages for the Baals.
3
Moreover, 5he burnedincense in the valley of Ben-hinnom* and 6burned his sons in fire, 7according to the abominations of the nationswhom the LORD had driven out before* the sons of Israel.
4
He sacrificed and 8burnedincense on the highplaces, on the hills and undereverygreentree.
Judah Is Invaded
5 Wherefore, 9the LORD his Goddelivered him into the hand of the king of Aram; and they defeated him and carried away from him a great number of captives and brought them to Damascus. And he was alsodelivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who inflicted him with heavycasualties.
6
For 10Pekah the son of Remaliahslew in Judah120,000** in oneday, allvaliantmen, because they had forsaken the LORDGod of their fathers.
7
And Zichri, a mightyman of Ephraim, slewMaaseiah the king'sson and Azrikam the ruler of the house and Elkanah the second to the king.
8
11The sons of Israelcarried away captive of 12their brethren200,000*women, sons and daughters; and they tookalso a greatdeal of spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.
9
But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded; and 13he went out to meet the army which came to Samaria and said to them, "Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, 14was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage15which has evenreachedheaven.
10
"Now you are proposing to 16subjugate for yourselves the people of Judah and Jerusalem for male and femaleslaves*. Surely, do you not have transgressions of your own against the LORD your God?
11
"Now therefore, listen to me and return the captives17whom you captured from your brothers, 18for the burninganger of the LORD is against you."
12
Then some of the heads of the sons of Ephraim-Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai-aroseagainst those who were coming from the battle,
13
and said to them, "You must not bring the captives in here, for you are proposing to bring upon us guilt against the LORDadding to our sins and our guilt; for our guilt is great so that His burninganger is againstIsrael."
14
So the armed men left the captives and the spoilbefore the officers and all the assembly.
15
Then 19the menwho were designated by namearose, took the captives, and they clothedall their nakedones from the spoil; and they gave them clothes and sandals, fed them and 20gave them drink, anointed them with oil, ledall their feeble ones on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, 21the city of palmtrees, to their brothers; then they returned to Samaria.
Compromise with Assyria
1622At that timeKingAhazsent to the kings of Assyria for help.
17
23For again the Edomites had come and attackedJudah and carried away captives.
18
24The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland and of the Negev of Judah, and had takenBeth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, and Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages, and they settledthere.
19
For the LORDhumbledJudahbecause of Ahazking of 25Israel, for he had brought about a lack of restraint in Judah and was veryunfaithful to the LORD.
20
So 26Tilgath-pilneserking of Assyriacameagainst him and afflicted him instead of strengthening him.
21
27AlthoughAhaztook a portion out of the house of the LORD and out of the palace of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria, it did not help him.
22
Now in the time of his distressthissameKingAhaz28becameyetmoreunfaithful to the LORD.
23
29For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, and said, "30Because the gods of the kings of Aramhelped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me." But they became the downfall of him and allIsrael.
24
Moreover, when Ahazgathered together the utensils of the house of God, he 31cut the utensils of the house of God in pieces; and he 32closed the doors of the house of the LORD and 33madealtars for himself in everycorner of Jerusalem.
25
In everycity of Judah he madehighplaces to burnincense to othergods, and provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers, to anger.
26
34Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
27
35So Ahazslept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of 36Israel; and Hezekiah his sonreigned in his place.